Eintracht Frankfurt's on-loan defender Jesus Vallejo has not had any contact with Real Madrid coach Zinedine Zidane and says he does not know if he will return to the Spanish club at the end of the season.
Vallejo, 20, has impressed since joining Frankfurt on a one-year loan deal from Madrid last summer, with current coach Niko Kovac saying that he has been "scandalously good" -- something which has not gone unnoticed at the Bernabeu.
In December, reports in Spain said that Vallejo was Zidane's main candidate to replace 33-year-old centre-back Pepe if the Portugal international leaves Madrid in the summer.
But Vallejo told Frankfurter Rundschau: "Until now, I've had no contact with Zidane, neither on the phone or in person. The closest contact between both clubs is the one between the athletics and rehab coaches because they coordinate and exchange information regarding form and development."
Vallejo added that "Real ask about my performances and Eintracht answer," and that "it could happen that someone from Real's scouting department comes to Frankfurt to get direct info."
Frankfurt have not given up hope that Vallejo could stay at the Waldstadion beyond the summer, and the Spaniard said that his return to Madrid is not set in stone.
"I can't really say anything about it now," Vallejo said. "It's not confirmed that I have to go back. Real are not obliged to do something now, maybe they only do something in June.
"What the club does: They advise players what's good for their short-term future. I don't waste a lot of thoughts on what could happen until the summer. I live in the here and now."